February 1–February 28, 2018
“Graffiti Art” gives visitors an opportunity to take a look at the urban art movement. The exhibit features a number of pieces and displays, each depicting a different artist or aspect of graffiti from all over the world. Artists highlighted include Banksy, Tracy 168, Eduardo Kobra, Joe Iurato and David Walker. Other displays and photographs provide visitors with physical representations and outlines of the varying styles, types and instruments of graffiti. The gallery also boasts a large canvas with markers available, inviting guests to add their own “tag”. Finally, numerous QR codes are utilized throughout the exhibit, encouraging visitors to scan and learn even more about the history of the polarizing art.
Most of the pieces were taken from and used in conjunction with Noel Sanchez and his site entitled Graffiti: Art Through Vandalism. Created as a project for his MMC 3260 course at the University of Florida, Sanchez explains that, “Though I am not a graffiti artist, I have always been interested in the colorful etchings on the sidewalks and walls of my city. At the same time, having parents who own an often-vandalized factory, I have seen how expensive and time-consuming this issue can be for those on the other side.” His site mirrors his sentiments delving into the beautiful, yet illegal, art that many use as a form of self-expression or protest, or as a mirror of their community and environment.
The exhibit was prepared with the help of the fall 2017 INART 126: Hip Hop class.
